Letter to the Editor: Utah lacks inspectors

In August and September, I sent letters to the Editor to several daily and weekly newspapers here in Utah. Expressing my concern that our State Legislators had for years and still are today ignoring our State Health Department by not giving them the extra money to employ more food inspectors. Some papers did not run my article, more did than didn't.

In my articles I specified that there were many places in Utah that had not seen a food inspector the past four years. To add to my concern regarding food handlers. In the Deseret News Sept. 27 edition was an article by their regular writer Doug Robinson. This article titled, "Men's Hygiene Habits are no Surprise." Robinson writes, one in four men don't wash hands in restrooms. I wonder does this include's those men that work in food dispensing facilities. In particular places such as restaurants, cafe's and fast food dispensers.

Robinson writes further, 25 percent of men don't wash their hands after using the bathroom, compared to ten percent for women. I am assuming his statement, include's chef's, cook's, pastry makers and bakers. That handle food that is consumed daily in these eating establishments that caters to the public.

Robinson further writes that many men can't even flush the toilet, I find this to be true in our public rest rooms. It gives me cause to wonder if this is also true in those larger cafes and restaurants that provide rest rooms for their own employees. Any one that is or has been a victim of food illness should express their anger at their own county state legislature for not providing the Department of Health with those finances that would allow them to hire more Food Inspectors. We have found the enemy... It is our State Legislators.